Elavon and Liberis Launch Quick Capital to Aid Canadian SMBs

ATLANTA & LONDON – March 31, 2026 – In a significant move to address the persistent funding challenges faced by Canadian small businesses, payments giant Elavon and embedded finance platform Liberis have extended their partnership to launch Quick Capital in Canada. The initiative, which follows a successful rollout in the United States in 2025, makes fast, revenue-based financing available to more than 202,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the country.

The new service integrates directly into the Elavon merchant portal, offering a streamlined path to capital that sidesteps the lengthy processes and stringent requirements often associated with traditional lending.

Addressing a Critical Funding Gap

The timing of the launch coincides with a growing need for accessible capital among Canadian entrepreneurs. Recent industry data paints a stark picture of the financial pressures on SMBs. According to the Intuit QuickBooks 2025 Annual Report, a staggering 57% of Canadian small businesses are charging more than a quarter of their total monthly expenses to credit cards, often at high interest rates. This heavy reliance on personal and business credit cards underscores a significant gap in the market for more suitable financing options.

Furthermore, reports from organizations like the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) have previously indicated that as many as 40% of small businesses have faced rejection when seeking financing from traditional banks. These institutions typically require extensive paperwork, strong credit histories, and significant collateral, creating high barriers for newer or smaller enterprises. For a business owner needing to quickly purchase inventory, cover an unexpected tax bill, or invest in a marketing campaign, the weeks-long wait for a bank loan decision can mean a missed opportunity.

“Through Quick Capital, we’re providing small business owners with an efficient, straightforward path to funding, and flexible solutions that complement their cash flow patterns - particularly valuable when unexpected opportunities or obstacles arise,” said Wally Mlynarski, CEO of Elavon, in the official announcement.

The Embedded Finance Revolution Arrives

The Elavon-Liberis partnership is a prime example of embedded finance, a rapidly growing trend that weaves financial services directly into non-financial business platforms. Instead of directing merchants to a separate bank or lending website, the funding application is built directly into the Elavon payment processing ecosystem they already use daily. This model is gaining significant traction in Canada, where competitors like Shopify Capital and PayPal have already demonstrated strong merchant appetite for integrated lending.

This northward expansion by Elavon and Liberis intensifies the competition to serve Canada's vibrant SMB sector. The key differentiator is leveraging a business's own sales data to underwrite and approve funding. By analyzing a merchant's payment history, the platform can offer tailored financing with repayment schedules tied to future revenue, making it more flexible than a fixed-payment loan.

The growth of such services is expected to accelerate with the planned rollout of Canada's open banking framework. With technical standards anticipated by late 2025 and a phased launch beginning in 2026, open banking will allow third-party providers, with consumer consent, to securely access financial data, fostering greater competition and innovation in financial products for both consumers and businesses.

Data-Driven Lending and the Path to Capital

The efficiency of Quick Capital is powered by data. The solution uses Liberis's technology to analyze an Elavon merchant's transaction history, enabling a fast and largely automated application process. Eligible SMBs will receive tailored offers via email and in-platform messages, with the system pre-populating much of the application to minimize paperwork.

This data-driven approach allows for rapid disbursement of funds, a critical advantage for businesses needing to act quickly. While this use of merchant data is key to the service's value, it also operates within a strict regulatory framework. In Canada, the use of personal and business information is governed by laws including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). Elavon's privacy policies state that while data is shared with trusted partners like Liberis to provide services, it is done under strict contractual obligations that maintain confidentiality and security. The company explicitly states it does not sell merchant data.

The result is a system designed for speed and convenience, offering funding for a range of business needs, from inventory and marketing to expansion and cash flow management, across sectors including retail, healthcare, services, and restaurants.

A Proven Model Goes North

The Canadian launch is not a leap into the unknown but a strategic expansion built on a proven model. The Quick Capital program was first introduced to over 275,000 U.S. merchants in 2025, where it was positioned as a direct answer to the administrative burdens of traditional funding.

“Every market we enter tells a similar story – a lack of quick and easy access to funding solutions is holding small businesses back,” noted Rob Fairfield, CEO of Liberis. “After launching in the US, extending our Elavon partnership to Canada was the obvious next step. The partnership will help support small businesses, remove barriers and provide proven funding solutions to those businesses that really need it, better positioning them for growth.”

With funding now available in Canada, both companies have indicated that this is just the next phase of their collaboration. They plan to gather merchant feedback to introduce ongoing enhancements and are exploring the development of potential new funding products to further streamline the financial experience for merchants.